1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover assembly for a motor vehicle which is retractable for storage into a low profile housing attached to the understructure of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus which occupies minimal space for deploying, retracting, and storing a cover designed to protect the interior and/or exterior of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many settings and circumstances in which an automobile must be parked or stored without the benefit of a protective garage or enclosure. The auto is thus exposed to the elements, and usually suffers from the exposure. Dirt, dust, tree sap, bird droppings, dew, ice, snow, etc. may collect on the surface of the auto, rendering cleaning and even driving of the auto problematical. In the summer months, or in areas with arid or tropical climates, the sun radiating down on a vehicle not only degrades the exterior finish of the vehicle, but also makes the passenger compartment quite uncomfortable due to the excessive heat buildup.
To overcome these problems, car covers constructed of fabric or plastic and made to form-fit a particular vehicle have become popular. These covers may be stored in the trunk of the vehicle or elsewhere in a folded state, and then taken out and spread over the vehicle to provide protection. Although providing protection for the vehicle from the elements, such covers present a number of drawbacks. First, the cover must be manually placed on the vehicle, manually removed, and then folded. Not only is this procedure time consuming and, for some, annoying, it is also cumbersome and difficult for one person to manage, particularly with larger vehicles. In addition, difficulty affixing or aligning the cover into position presents a major obstacle to continued use of the cover.
To overcome these problems, automatically extending and retracting vehicle covers have been developed. Typically, these devices wind the covers onto manually operated or motor driven axles, which result in a bulky spool of cover material which is unsightly and occupies significant and valuable space.
It is therefore desirable to provide a convenient, self-storing vehicle cover which is easy for even an elderly, small, or feeble person to use regularly without the usual exertive and time consuming movements required by prior art devices.